(or reusing Xinerama configured XFree)
There could be several reasons for not using DRI
As far i know only one graphic card in a system can use DRI
the Nvidia closed source driver do not support DRI
In case one of this reasons applies to your system, you do not need different XFree configuration files for the different displays.
You could configure your system for Xinerama using the tools provided with your distribution and reading The Xinerama-HOWTO, so when the system is used by a single user, he/she could switch to Xinerama desktop and use all available displays for a bigger desktop.
Once configured for Xinerama, only small additions are needed to achieve multiple independent desktops. All you have to do is to add new layouts which use single screen definition and have independent input devices.
In case you have configured Xinerama in the following way
Section "ServerLayout" Identifier "Simple Layout" Screen "Screen 2" Screen "Screen 1" RightOf "Screen 2" InputDevice "Mouse1" "CorePointer" InputDevice "Keyboard1" "CoreKeyboard" EndSection |
to achieve multiple independent desktops you only have to add Layout definitions for single screen:
Section "ServerLayout" Identifier "first-Xserver" Screen "Screen 1" InputDevice "Mouse1" "CorePointer" InputDevice "Keyboard1" "CoreKeyboard" EndSection Section "ServerLayout" Identifier "second-Xserver" Screen "Screen 2" InputDevice "Mouse2" "CorePointer" InputDevice "Keyboard1" "CoreKeyboard" EndSection |
which should result in this layout definitions
Section "ServerLayout" Identifier "Xinerama" Screen "Screen 2" Screen "Screen 1" RightOf "Screen 2" InputDevice "Mouse1" "CorePointer" InputDevice "Keyboard1" "CoreKeyboard" EndSection Section "ServerLayout" Identifier "first-Xserver" Screen "Screen 1" InputDevice "Mouse1" "CorePointer" InputDevice "Keyboard1" "CoreKeyboard" EndSection Section "ServerLayout" Identifier "second-Xserver" Screen "Screen 2" InputDevice "Mouse2" "CorePointer" InputDevice "Keyboard1" "CoreKeyboard" EndSection |
Now you can start a single X server with option "-layout Xinerama" and enjoy Xinerama desktop, or
you can start 2 independent X servers using "-layout first-Xserver" for the first, and "-layout second-Xserver" for the second.
As you will use a single XFree configuration file for all X servers
in order to use independent keyboards you have to use following command:
For 1st X server with the 1st keyboard:
$ startx -- /usr/X11R6/bin/X0 :0 -layout first-Xserver vt7
For 2nd X server with the 2nd keyboard:
$ startx -- /usr/X11R6/bin/X1 :1 -layout second-Xserver vt8
and if you want to use Xinerama
$ startx -- /usr/X11R6/bin/X -layout Xinerama vt7
also the mice must have different names
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ # ********************************************************************** # Pointer section # ********************************************************************** Section "InputDevice" Identifier "Mouse1" Driver "mouse" Option "Protocol" "IMPS/2" Option "Device" "/dev/input/mouse0" Option "ZAxisMapping" "4 5" # ChordMiddle is an option for some 3-button Logitech mice Option "Emulate3Buttons" # Option "ChordMiddle" EndSection Section "InputDevice" Identifier "Mouse2" Driver "mouse" Option "Protocol" "IMPS/2" Option "Device" "/dev/input/mouse1" Option "ZAxisMapping" "4 5" # ChordMiddle is an option for some 3-button Logitech mice Option "Emulate3Buttons" # Option "ChordMiddle" EndSection ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |